Koi Fish: What You Should Know About Their History As Well As The Different Types Of Koi
Koi are extremely popular fish bred and taken care of by hobbyists the world over. Koi is a Japanese word which means "carp" and includes the dull gray wild carp found in rivers and also lakes for food, as well as the brightly colored varieties. It is the colorful koi fish that are bred for their magnificence. Although the proper expression for these "living jewels" is nishikigoi, many people, particularly those in the United States, refer to them simply as koi.
A Very Koi Story
The carp came from Central Europe and also Asia where it was basically a food fish. It was the Chinese that began propagating selected species of carp until they developed the gold fish over a thousand years ago. The Chinese first brought koi as food to Japan in 200 AD. Seeing the wonderful color mutations, Japanese farmers in Niigata, a prefecture in Honshu, bred them for ornamental applications and produced several color patterns. The first variety to be established is the kohaku, the red-and-white koi.
The Niigata koi was first exposed to the community in 1914 during the annual exposition in Tokyo. The beautiful, colorful fish captivated all of Japan and some kept koi because they seemed perfect for their water gardens. It did not take long before the entire world caught up on the hobby. Nowadays, Niigata remains to be the home of the best koi breeders although you can buy koi from almost all pet stores. Then again, you have to go to specialist dealers if you want the higher-quality fish. Prices of koi vary based on the very koi-like feature of the fish.
Koi Characteristics
You can find koi with various colors and patterns. The typical colors are white, black, red, yellow, blue and cream. Female koi are usually plump while the males are more streamlined with torpedo shapes. A matured koi can grow as much as 36 inches and weigh over 17 pounds. The koi are hardy and durable, and can live for many years depending on their genetics and also living conditions. The oldest koi ever reported was "Hanako" that reportedly lived up to 226 years.
The Koi are omnivores and eat almost almost everything including vegetables. It is very koi of the fish to look for food at the bottom of the pond. Although koi fish are basically shy and will run away when disturbed, they usually know the person routinely feeding your koi fish. It is common to see koi gathering around their keeper during feeding times with some eating straight from the hand.
Varieties of Koi
There are several kinds of koi that are distinguished by the color, pattern and also scales. There are some hybrids like the Ghost koi or the Butterfly koi that have also acquired popularity but are not considered as true Nishikigoi. Among the prominent varieties of the true Nishikigoi include the following:
- Kohaku - white koi with big red markings on top
- Taisho Sanshoku - resembles the Kohaku but has additional small black marks
- Showa Sanshoku - black koi having red and white markings
- Tancho - any koi with a lone red patch on the head
- Asagi - is coloured light blue on top and red beneath
- Utsurimono - black with very koi markings of red, white or yellow
- Bekko - base colour of red, white or yellow with small black marks
- Goshiki - black koi accented with red, white, brown and also blue marks
- Shusui - does not have scales except for a single row of big mirror scales running down the dorsal area, from head to tail
The Reason Why Putting A Koi Filter System Is Crucial
Not only does having a koi filter system installed help make your koi pond more attractive, it also does a lot to keep your koi fish healthy. Koi fish are highly sensitive to the pH balance and density of the water they're in compared to other types of fish.
Everything You Need To Find Out About The Black Koi Fish
Black koi fish are koi fish that have the black koi pattern. Many people prefer the black koi over other koi fish. In general, koi fish, which come from the carp family, are known to live up to 35 years
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Learning More Regarding Koi Breeding
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